Friday, April 21, 2006

Spotlight
Happy 80th birthday to Great Britain's Queen Elizabeth II. Born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, Elizabeth was proclaimed queen on February 6, 1952, after the death of her father, George VI. The only female member of the royal family to actually have served in the military, Elizabeth was trained as a driver in the Auxiliary Territorial Service in 1945. Among the Queen's other positions are Head of the Commonwealth and Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

Quote
"Let us not take ourselves too seriously. None of us has a monopoly on wisdom." – Queen Elizabeth II

Word of the day
coronation: the act of crowning a sovereign; Elizabeth II's coronation was on June 2, 1953. (© )

Today's News

• Rwandan genocide: survivors say Sometimes in April and Hotel Rwanda films are full of holes (story)
• Bosnia: giant ancient step pyramid may be found under Visoko (story)
• Jo Ann Emerson: congresswoman from Missouri is stumped by obscene letter to constituent (story)

Today's History

• Rome: traditional date of founding by twins Romulus and Remus, sons of the god Mars (753 BCE)
• Red Baron: German ace aviator of WWI was shot down (1918)
• Tiananmen Square: anti-communist protest began in Beijing; troops suppressed it six weeks later, killing thousands (1989)

Today's Birthdays

• Charlotte Brontë: author of Jane Eyre (1816-1855)
• John Muir: naturalist, founder of national parks and the Sierra Club (1838-1914)
• Tony Danza: actor, talk show host, Taxi, Who's the Boss, The Tony Danza Show (55)